MADERA – Madera County District Attorney, David A. Linn, stated today that the enforcement and removal operations weekly reports which were released last week do not currently reflect the status of Madera County’s compliance with federal law. D.A. Linn stated, “As of today, we are definitely not a sanctuary county, in that we are in compliance with ICE requests.”

On February 24, 2017, the Madera County District Attorney’s Office conducted an “ICE Summit” with two members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security, including a Deputy Field Office Director, and an Assistant Field Office Director, from the San Francisco field office of the Department of Homeland Security.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss with ICE local issues concerning the cooperation on processing illegal immigrants who have committed serious felonies and are currently inmates in the Madera County Jail; addressing community concerns involving “ICE Sweeps” effecting local residential areas, schools and agricultural operations; and Madera County Law Enforcement’s focus on felonies and criminal aliens.

D.A. Linn stated, “I believed that a meeting with ICE was necessary due to the fact that they have contacted my office complaining that the Madera County Jail “refused to cooperate with them as required by law” and was releasing dangerous felons into the local communities. To facilitate this meeting, I had discussions with ICE agents, local police chiefs, Madera County Sheriff Varney, Chief Perez of the Madera County Jail, and the Madera County Counsel. I spent a great deal of time in preparing for this meeting, including having extended discussions with Max Rodriguez, Chairman of the Madera County Board of Supervisors, and numerous community members, to obtain their views concerning ICE deportations.”

On March 1, 2017, D.A. Linn wrote a lengthy letter to the Madera County Board of Supervisors, and Chief Administrative Officer, Eric Flemming. Attached to his letter was a list of dangerous felons who had been released from Madera County Jail, without the jail giving proper notification to ICE.

Many of the felons had previously served time for serious felonies, including, firearm charges, narcotics, possession for sale of narcotic substances, robbery, sexual battery, sex with minors, assault with deadly weapon, corporal injury, battery, criminal threats, public fighting and other egregious offenses. In the letter, D.A. Linn stated, “I was sworn into office to uphold the laws of the State of California and the United States of America. I believe that members of the Board of Supervisors also took that oath. Sheriff Varney and I both desire to live up to our sworn oaths.”

At a meeting with the Board of Supervisors, D.A. Linn and Sheriff Varney presented an additional 85 names of individuals who they believe had been released from Madera County Jail without proper coordination between the jail and the Department of Homeland Security. At that Board meeting, D.A. Linn pointed out to the Supervisors that if Madera County fails to cooperate with Homeland Security and becomes a sanctuary county, the citizens and tax payers could lose at least $46 million in federal funds.

At the Board meeting which occurred on March 7, 2017, the Board of Supervisors unanimously instructed Chief Perez, Director of the Madera County Department of Corrections, to fully comply with all ICE requests, and also directed the Madera County Counsel’s Office to expedite their action, to ensure that Madera County is in full compliance with the federal government.

As of March 23, 2017, all documentation, agreements, and operating procedures had been signed, and the Assistant Field Office Director from ICE informed D.A. Linn that Madera was in full compliance. As was agreed between ICE and the Madera D.A., any variance from agreed procedures would be reported immediately to the Madera County District Attorney, who will be available to receive these reports on a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week basis.

D.A. Linn stated that he believed this cooperation with Homeland Security insures that violent criminals who have been sentenced and released by the Madera County Jail to be returned to their country of origin will prevent further involvement of the members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Madera County for such things as neighborhood sweeps, effecting local residential areas, schools, and agricultural operations.